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For the next couple of months I’m reducing the Kindle and Nook prices on several of my books to make them more competitive in the e-book market. This is a great time to download these books to your e-reader or device.

Broken Windows

Jordan Axtell, an aspiring artist searching for a new beginning, escapes to Idaho. He hopes to put failure behind him and carve a respectable career out of the rock hard art community. But a black shadow girl with a red balloon warns him that his past refuses to stay where it belongs.

Strange things disappear and peculiar crimes point to Jordan’s guilt. Meanwhile, Alison distracts him from his goals. Zophie drives him crazy with her expectations and questions. A Bible Zone boy pulls at his heartstrings, and his roommate forces him to enter a new world of wheelchairs.

Has the most annoying graffiti artist on the planet followed Jordan to Idaho? Or is a copycat intentionally committing weird misdemeanors just to ruin his reputation? Jordan must find the identity of the perpetrator or lose his integrity as an artist. His new friends try to help, but with friends like his, his enemies can go on coffee break.

Broken Windows is the first book in the “Keyhole Mysteries” series. I’m working on the second book in this light hearted series now.

Mary Weaver tries to save the life of 11-month-old Melissa Mathes, but the baby dies after being in Mary’s care. The autopsy reveals severe head injuries that were inflicted 7 to 10 days before the baby’s death, but Mary is accused of first-degree murder.

Steve Brennecke, a young lawyer and a friend of Mary’s, takes the case. He is convinced of Mary’s innocence and sets out to clear Mary’s name and keep this young mother out of prison.

Mary’s case splits the medical community. One group of doctors, eager to stamp out child abuse, insists the baby had to be shaken and slammed during the time Mary was alone with her. Another group believes scientific evidence points away from Mary. The jury doesn’t know what to think.

Dr. Ruth Ramsey calls this true story “a frightening wake-up call for anyone who is ever involved in childcare.” Edges of Truth is an account of justice gone wrong, the fight to clear an innocent woman’s name, and the community who supported her. It answers the question: “Where is God when life ceases to make sense?”

Just last week an Irish nanny made headline news in a similar case where the prosecutor dropped murder charges after a medical examiner reversed her findings. She changed the cause of death from “abusive head trauma” (shaken baby syndrome) to “undetermined cause.” Steve Brennecke continues to get calls from reporters of leading US newspapers about the role Mary Weaver’s case plays in the shaken baby syndrome controversy today.

This weekend I am launching my new novel, Broken Windows. It is much like a cozy mystery in that it has no profanity, sex, or gratuitous violence. It does, however, deal with some serious issues. Though it is a fun book, this Christian novel also challenges even mature Christians to think. So if you’re tired of shallow Christian fiction that mimics Hollywood romances, you might want to try Broken Windows.

My last book was a memoir about Mary Weaver, an innocent caregiver who was accused of first-degree murder. The story happened in and around Marshalltown, Iowa which provided a venue for an amazing book launch. This time around, however, I’m dealing with fiction and I am nearly 10,000 miles from most of my readers. This launch will look a lot different from my last one. In my December 15, 2014 blog (Must-Have Homes for Authors) I told some of my plans for this launch. Today I plan to follow that up with the details of the actual launch. I’m hoping this will help other authors who are looking for ideas for their own launches as well as direct readers to some fun activities.

First of all, I announced in December that I planned my launch on January 16. The first rule for launches is: Never announce a date for a launch unless you’re absolutely sure the book will be for sale (and in your hands, if necessary) on launch date. Well, I broke that rule because I thought I had plenty of time to bring the book to publication. Wrong. Due to circumstances beyond my control I’m launching this book a whole month later than planned. Thankfully, since this launch is entirely online, I don’t think the delay will inconvenience my readers at all. I’m so thankful that last time, when we had an auditorium full of friends and supporters, the books arrived on time.

Amazon

You’ve heard me say it before. Amazon reviews are gold to a writer. This time I’ve had some readers read my book ahead of time and give input. I’ve asked these people to post reviews ahead of my launch. You can read the reviews that have already been posted here. I am also looking for about five readers who would like to receive my book free in exchange for an honest review. If this is something you’d enjoy doing, just comment on this blog.

Author Central is a good author’s tool. I only had to make minor changes to bring this up to date. You can read it here.

Website

You are reading my blog now. If you want to find my book from my website, you can find it here. Soon it will link to my first chapter. (Situations beyond my control again.) And while you’re there, you might want to look at some of the other free resources I have. You can follow my blog from here by clicking on “subscribe” in the sidebar or from my Facebook Author Page by clicking on “like” at the top of the Author Page.

Facebook Author Page

I want to have a little fun with my Facebook Page. You’ll find items of interest if you are a car guy, an artist, a writer, an M.K., or if you’ve ever been to Boise, serve in ministry, or have ever read any of my books. You can also go in the draw to win a free book here.

Goodreads

On Goodreads you can enter my giveaway here. You can ask me a question under “Ask An Author,” or become my friend or fan here. Or you can join the Christian Books Only Review Group here.

Pintrest

Broken Windows includes some fun graffiti images and photos. Adding even one color image to a book means the whole book has to be printed differently from a black and white book and the cost is prohibitive. If you want to see these images in color, go to my Pinterest board. (The Nook version is also in color.)

So many ways to connect with me at this time! I’d love to hear from you.

Today you get to be the first people to get a sneak peek at the cover of Book 1 of my upcoming Keyhole Mystery Series. Today is the cover reveal. What do you think?

Each of the Keyhole Mysteries will unlock new worlds. Broken Windows will allow you to peep through the keyhole of the art community as well as the world of wheelchairs and disability.

Q: When will Broken Windows be released?

A: Early in 2015.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: The book is entirely finished. I’ve had several people pre-read it and give input. Based on that, I’m making some minor changes. I’m also working on the sequel. Waiting until 2015 to release the book will allow me to link it better to the sequel. Today my husband is working on some of the images that will be included in the book. I’ve also received permission to include pictures of several of the statues that are part of the artwork featured in the book. Then come the various publication issues: uploading, formatting, printing, Kindle conversion, proofreading, and approving galleys.

Q: What burning issues do you have yet to resolve?

A: Should I call it a cozy mystery or just a mystery? I know this seems like a small matter, but if I choose a category that doesn’t fit it well, readers could be disappointed. It does have many of the characteristics of a cozy: amateur sleuth, quirky characters, minimal violence and gore, no sex or profanity. It also emphasizes the mystery puzzle and character development more than danger and chase scenes. On the other hand, though much of it is lighthearted, it does deal with some weighty spiritual issues like why God allows bad things to happen and how to define success. My pre-readers seem to like this aspect of the book, but they, and I, wonder if this takes it away from the cozy mystery classification.

Q: What kind of reaction have you gotten from your pre-readers?

A: My pre-readers have given me good input that helps me to know changes I need to make. I appreciate that so much. They’ve also responded with encouragement and enthusiasm for the project. Here’s an example of some of their comments:

“Having a special needs grandson, I really appreciated the way you brought to life the struggles and feelings of special needs folks, as well as helped us see their side of interaction with “normal” people.”

“The struggles of the main characters seemed too weighty to me to be in keeping with the “cozy” mystery category. This book was much more thought-provoking [than cozy mysteries], but in a very good way.”